Star Trek Stardate Collection - films I-X (May 1, 2013)

[gettodamoofies]

Tying in with Star Trek Into Darkness, Paramount has announced a "2013 Refresh" release of the I-X set featuring the TOS and TNG crew films. It hits stores May 1, 2013.

No news regarding content though being that it's a "refresh" it's likely just a repackage which is unfortunate. I suspected a re-release but I was hoping this might have been the time for some real remasters of the films.

[MovieManiac82]

Awesome, I've been wanting to get these movies on Blu ray for awhile now. I hope its not to expensive.

[lateralspin]

I want the director's cut of Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan
Otherwise,

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by atexp80

No news regarding content though being that it's a "refresh" it's likely just a repackage which is unfortunate. I suspected a re-release but I was hoping this might have been the time for some real remasters of the films.

Oh, well that's a bummer. Most opinions I've read of the existing transfers haven't been exactly glowing, and "word" has been that a remastered release wasn't far away. In fact, I'd read a lot about some serious lobbying by fan groups for both new transfers and the expanded versions, where they exist. So I've been hanging out for some better treatments before I plunged into the world of high-def Star Trek. (More of a Star Trek fan than a Star Wars one, me.)

So has Paramount just been ignoring the lobbying, do folks reckon, or has it been somewhat overstated?

[gettodamoofies]

Originally Posted by MacEachaidh

So has Paramount just been ignoring the lobbying, do folks reckon, or has it been somewhat overstated?

Probably not ignoring so much as keeping those comments in mind for a future release.

I've mentioned before that Paramount really has nowhere else to go when it comes to the TOS and TNG films on Blu-ray short of remasters for all the films. The current discs have 7.1 sound (or 5.1 in the case of the TNG films), new special features and previously released special features. More content likely wouldn't sell more copies. I'm a massive Trek fan and you won't see me paying again for the same transfers just because there's some extra content.

The only thing Paramount has left is a remaster. Aside from Khan which got a complete remaster (though an number of people have issues with the colour timing) all the other films range from good (The Motion Picture) to downright awful (The Undiscovered Country). Most have had noticeably visible amounts of DNR applied to old masters and a few are slathered in it.

A complete 4K remaster not only makes sense for fans, it also makes sense for financial reasons. Much like the TNG remaster, the masters for the Trek films are clearly showing their age. With the advent of new 4K displays and projectors the market for 4K material will start to appear. Although not the sole motivation, doing 4K remasters would allow for future proofing of their most profitable franchise and would then also provide a new master to create a re-release on Blu-ray - something they are going to need. They could also release a new DVD based on the remaster, therefore plugging the films on DVD one last time.

4K remasters would give Paramount the "excuse" to get The Motion Picture's Director's Cut sorted with new visual effects rendered at an appropriate resolution. They could even do seamless branching of 2 and 6 for the Director's/Extended Cuts (though the theatrical cuts of those two are still my preferred cuts).

I was hoping that Star Trek Into Darkness would be the motivation for this. Perhaps not though, or if they are doing a refresh for the theatrical release perhaps this is the last hurrah of these transfers enabling Paramount to milk the pre-existing releases one last time before finally going the remaster route.

[L-Rouge]

Star Trek TMP is gorgeous though, I thrash that one, it is my most watched movie on Blu, now.

[L-Rouge]

and we know now the level of re-mastering Trek can receive, so I fully expect a re-remastered re release of these re-releasable films at some point (wouldn't it be great if it were this year?)

[Livelong420]

It's Trek, don't get your hopes up for a remaster so soon.

[Greengoblin]

Hello i was going to buy the stardate ones but i didn't like the book it came with, it looked to flimsy for me so I was wondering if we got the second box set with the other four films in it like the Americans did.

[gettodamoofies]

Originally Posted by Greengoblin

Hello i was going to buy the stardate ones but i didn't like the book it came with, it looked to flimsy for me so I was wondering if we got the second box set with the other four films in it like the Americans did.

Yes. It was a JB Exclusive:



Long sold out in my area though. Haven't seen it in years. Maybe there's a copy floating around the country somewhere.

[Whitey75]

$56.49 for this on amazon...not bad for anyone who missed the big w sale